Globally, lithium is extracted from two key sources: brines and minerals. Currently, lithium-bearing minerals such as spodumene and petalite are chiefly extracted from pegmatites in Australia, Zimbabwe and Brazil; however, future sources of lithium are likely to include hectorite and jadarite, which are found in some sedimentary basins.
Extraction of lithium from brines predominantly occurs from continental brine deposits, such as those found in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. Extraction from oilfield and geothermal brines has been demonstrated and may become an important source of lithium in the future.
For more information, please visit our Raw materials for a low-carbon future webpage and the LiFT – Lithium for Future Technology hosted website.
